In modern factory and commercial environments wherein products are assembled, repaired, stored, packaged or shipped, it is desirable to utilize large open areas within a building and to provide such areas with a flexible furnishing system capable of relatively rapid change-over to accommodate changing product assembly, packaging, etc,, requirements.
It has long been conventional to construct permanent or semipermanent space-divider walls to create individual work areas and to furnish such areas with furniture of the conventional type, that is, furniture entirely or substantially entirely independent of the walls. Such arrangements are adequate under circumstances in which the requirements of the activities performed in the work areas remain relatively static over long periods of time. However, under modern factory and commercial conditions, such systems have proved to be inadequate and the source of both inconvenience and excessive cost.
Modern factory and commercial environments are characterized by product assembly, storage, packaging, etc., activities which constantly change. This phenomena results from, for example, the fact that what is considered as an appropriate working environment for a particular activity rapidly changes. In addition, the tools used in a particular activity are often modified. fied. Further, the fundamentals of the activities themselves constantly change.
The concept of using a built-in or semibuilt-in space-dividing system and conventional furniture immediately creates a problem when a change is to be made. The cost and time requirements of changing the spare divider system is often so great that the necessary and desirable changes frequently are not made. Indeed, the space-divider scheme originally erected and the furnishings within the work areas defined by the scheme are often used long after they have obtained functional obsolescence because of the cost of reorganization and replacement necessary to restore functional utility.
To overcome the problems presented in the modern work environment by the conventional furnishings heretofore described, there have been work environment systems which are capable of rapid change-over from one arrangement to another and which typically include a number of work stations defined by a plurality of freestanding walls. Such systems have been termed "modular-type"work environment systems. The freestanding walls of such work environment systems are generally detachably joined together in a number of ways to form work stations of varying size and configuration, with the freestanding walls serving as visual and audial barriers between one or more work areas within the work stations. In addition, the freestanding walls not only subdivide the work area but they also provide the means upon which work surfaces or supports are mounted. The work supports may be arranged anywhere within the work stations defined by the freestanding walls to adapt the work stations to the demands of different types of activities. The work supports, while supported by the freestanding walls, are wholly independent of the same so that work supports of a wide variety of designs are completely interchangeable and may be installed for use with any one or more of the freestanding walls of the work stations. Because the freestanding walls are adapted to be rearranged from one pattern of organization to another, the work stations can be quickly changed over in size, shape, orientation and arrangement to adapt the work environment system precisely to new requirements as the usage of the work space changes from time to time. The U.S. patent to Propst et al, 3,413,765, issued Aug.16, 1966, discloses the abovedescribed concepts of the modular type work environment system. Another modular-type work environment system particularly adapted for use in office environments is manufactured and sold by Applicant's assignee, Herman Miller, Inc. of Zeeland, Michigan, under the trademark ACTION OFFICE.
It has been found desirable to carry the flexible work space concept into the factory where flexibility and versatility are also major advantages. Heretofore, he work environment systems have been designed for the office environment and the adaptability of such systems for the factory environments has met with limited success. The office systems do not have the same requirements for ruggedness as the factory and thus have had limited applicability to factory environments. Various connector devices for connecting together the freestanding walls along longitudinal ends thereof have been devised. It has been found desirable to provide connector devices which not only securely connect together the freestanding walls at various predetermined angles with respect to each other, but which can also facilitate relatively quick knock-down and reassemblage of the walls into various geometric configurations. Connectors of this type are disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,430,997 issued Mar.4, 1969, and 3,425,171, issued Feb.4, 1969. These types of connectors rely on wedging principles wherein a vertical draw bolt is tightened to draw together adjacent frames. Such connectors work very well in an office environment but may not be sufficiently robust for factory applications.
Other connectors rely on offset brackets fixed at top and bottom portions of the freestanding walls to secure the same together. The offset brackets, however, are thought to be unsightly as they project outwardly from the freestanding walls. In some connector systems, provision is made for connecting two or more freestanding walls in a specific geometric configuration, for example, three walls in a Y-shaped configuration as shown in the U.S. patent to Korell, 3,842,555, issued Oct.22, 1974.
In most cases, the connectors are adapted for the office panel environment and do not have the necessary rigid construction to withstand the rigors of the factory environment. cl SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems inherent in the prior art system are obviated by the modular work space management system according to the invention which comprises freestanding frame modules and freestanding tables, all of which are selectively arranged around a room in a preplanned configuration. Mobile carts are also movable around the room between the frame modules and freestanding tables. Each of the frame modules and the tables mount horizontal work surfaces for conducting work activity. Each of the mobile carts, the freestanding tables and the freestanding frame modules have common structural components comprising rigid open rectangular frame members having vertical frame members and horizontal frame members, each of the vertical frame members being rectangular and tubular in cross-section and having a series of vertical slots for hanging functional components thereon. The horizontal frame members have ends abutting and rigidly joined to the vertical frame members, the horizontal frame members further being rectangular in cross-section and having lips extending vertically along each corner for supporting hanging components and the like.
Support brackets have a vertical edge and a horizontal edge with hooks on the vertical edge adapted to engage the vertical slots in the vertical frame members. First pairs of support brackets are mounted on at least some of the vertical frame members at or above a central portion thereof in horizontally spaced, aligned positions. Shelves and work surfaces are mounted to the horizontal edges of at least some of the support brackets whereby the shelves and work surfaces are supported by the support brackets.
Second pairs of the support brackets are positioned on a bottom portion of the vertical frame members with the horizontal edge facing downwardly, whereby the second pairs of support brackets form stabilizing feet for at least some of the frame members.
Wheels are mounted to the horizontal edges of certain of the second pairs of support brackets to provide mobility to certain of the frames.
Cabinets having rear surfaces with depending hooks mounted thereon for engaging the vertical slots in the vertical frame members are mounted to some of the frames through the depending hooks and vertical slots on the frame members. Open-top trays are formed by side walls and a bottom wall and have a depending hook portion extending from the top of one side wall and in spaced relationship thereto. The depending hook is adapted to extend downwardly behind one of the horizontal frame member lips when the one side wall abuts a front face of the one horizontal frame member to thereby support the trays from the horizontal frame members. The trays are supported on at least some of the horizontal frame members through depending hook portions and horizontal frame lips.
Panels have a height and width adapted to fit in an open space between the horizontal and vertical frame members and have a thickness adapted to fit between the lips of the horizontal frame members. The panels are positioned within the open spaces of at least some of the frames with a bottom surface of each of the panels resting on a lower horizontal frame member between upstanding ones of the lips and an upper surface thereof is positioned between downward ones of the lips on an upper of the horizontal frame member. Thus, panels are retained in the open space of the frame(s) by the upstanding lips on the lower horizontal frame member and by downward lips on the upper horizontal frame member.
The horizontal and vertical frame members themselves are joined together rigidly. In one embodiment, the horizontal and vertical frame members are joined by welding. In another embodiment, the horizontal and vertical frame members are joined through a bolt-and-nut connection. The bolt-and-nut connection has interengaging means, preferably projections on the ends of the horizontal frame members and openings in one wall of the vertical frame member, to prevent lateral and rotational movement of the horizontal frame members with respect to the vertical frame members.
Further according to the invention, the rectangular frames are rigidly joined together at vertical side edges thereof through frame connector means. The frames can be joined together at various angles with respect to each other, including 90.degree., 135.degree. and 180.degree. .
The frame connector means comprise openings in opposite faces of adjacent first and second vertical frame members, with the openings being in registry with each other. First and second draw blocks are mounted respectively in the first and second frame members in registry with the openings in the side faces thereof. Horizontal bores are provided in the draw blocks in registry with the openings in the side faces. At least the first draw-block bore is threaded. A bolt extends through the draw-block bore in the adjacent first and second vertical frame members, the bolt having a threaded end which is adapted to threadably engage the threaded bore in the first draw block while being retained by the second draw block to draw the adjacent vertical frame members together as the bolt tightens.
Preferably, the bolt has an unthreaded portion and a head on an end opposite to the threaded end of the bolt. The head is adapted to abut an inner portion of the second draw block and the unthreaded portion extends through the bore in the second draw block when the bolt head abuts the inner end of the second draw block. In a preferred embodiment, the bore in the second draw block is also threaded and the bolt has a length substantially the lateral width of the vertical frame member. The bolt threaded end is adapted to thread into the second draw block threaded bore as well so that the bolt can be stored wholly within the vertical frame member when the vertical frame members are unconnected to each other.
The frame connector further comprises a drawblock holder means to releasably retain the draw block in the vertical frame member. The draw-block holder means comprises a tubular body which extends through the opening in an inner wall of the vertical frame member and the draw block is releasably retained within the tubular body. Preferably, portions of the vertical frame extend above an upper of the horizontal frame members and the frame connector means are positioned in the portions above the upper horizontal frame member. Likewise, portions of the vertical frame members extend below a lower one of the horizontal frame members in the rectangular frame and the frame connector means are positioned in the portions below the lower horizontal frame member.